Kalash 2012
The Kalash 2012 is a next-generation assault rifle that had been introduced by the Russian Military just prior to the nuclear holocaust in Metro 2033. It is arguably the best assault rifle in the game, featuring a near-perfect blend of firepower, accuracy, magazine capacity, and fire-rate, which makes it one of the deadliest weapons around in capable hands. It is easily-recognized by its bull-pup layout and unusual magazine feed, reminiscent of the FN P90 submachinegun. Considered the best weapon in the game by NPCs, the Kalash 2012 nonetheless has several drawbacks that keep it shy of the pure perfection many say it is. Like the rest of the assault rifles in the game, it can fire Military-Grade Rounds. Overview The Kalash 2012 does not exist in real life. However, it has some similarities with existing firearms. The magazine form and placement is similar to that of the FN P90, while the general look of the weapon is reminiscent of the Khaybar KH 2002, sans the bullpup style magazine placement of the latter. The scoped version of the gun uses a PK-AV scope. Despite this, the design of the Kalash 2012 is entirely plausible; It uses the same cartridge chambering system as the aforementioned P90, as well as the same transparent magazines to easily allow remaining ammo to be checked. The framework bears a distinct resemblance to several civilian sporting rifles, as well as the Belgian FN F2000 assault rifle. The gas tube and action, however, are clearly derived from the Kalashnikov, and it bears the typical AK-style gas tube that is so prevalent of AK-series rifles. Other AK-series features include the front sight and muzzle brake, as well as the cleaning rod located under the barrel. This unusual design has several advantages from both an ergonomic and tactical standpoint; much of the recoil on the weapon is forced directly backwards, helping to preserve accuracy when fired on automatic. The unusual magazine configuration allows a particularly large magazine capacity, and the design allows for the attachment of a wide array of different scopes, illuminators, and other accessories, which the Kalash 2012 is often seen with. Its small profile makes it very compact, to allow easy engagements in close-quarters, while the barrel length attributed to the bull-pup design still allows the weapon to be used quite accurately at longer ranges. The primary drawback of the Kalash 2012, aside from its sheer cost in the Metro 2033 universe, is its weight; estimations show that it weighs at least 3 or 4 pounds more than the Kalash AKM-74, even with extensive use of composite materials to keep the weight down. Often labeled "The Ultimate Rifle" or "The Soldier's Dream Rifle," the Kalash 2012 offers the promise of the superior performance that only modern engineering could accomplish - but this, in and of itself, demands a premium. Additionally, the gun is likely rather hard to keep working in adverse conditions, with replacement parts being rare and expensive. The design is relatively complicated, so the weapon must be maintained more often. They are weapons of status for whoever can afford one. Tactics and Use 350px|right The Kalash 2012 is a near-perfect balance. It is almost as accurate as the VSV, has better range than the Kalash, a fire rate roughly equal to the Bastard, and its utility, when upgraded, is off the charts. At a glance, this easily sets it up as the single greatest automatic weapon in the game, as the combination of speed, power, and accuracy is a daunting factor indeed. The weapon is only found during the later portions of the game, and so the player gets a chance to use a variety of weapons beforehand. Unfortunately, it's not all good news. The Kalash 2012, as is the case with the Bastard, fires extremely quickly and tends to burn through ammunition at an alarming rate. Its firepower, while better than the Bastard, is not as good as the Kalash or VSV - both of which have higher single-round damage - and its power receives an additional (very small, but it adds up) cut if equipped with a silencer. This last fact is a particularly cruel cut; with this, the Kalash 2012 has firepower roughly equal to the VSV in terms of damage-per-second (DPS), but consuming ammo at a far more ferocious rate to make up for this! AK-2012 with a PK-AV scope and a silencer With this in mind, you can't simply use the same tactics you would use for the Bastard, or Kalash; the accuracy and large magazine capacity means 'spraying' up close, a-la the Bastard, is not an effective tactic given the gun's performance. Likewise, it can't light up mid-range targets like the Kalash; it needs more bullets cranked out in a shorter amount of time to accomplish the same result. With a Silencer, it can do basically everything a VSV can; however, it still has better overall performance and is not a liability up-close, due to the phenomenally fast fire-rate. How to use this high-tier firearm best? The answer is simple: exploit the combination of accuracy and high fire rate. The Kalash 2012 alone is the only assault rifle in the game which can reliably unload a full magazine into the head of an advancing librarian or nosalis with very, very little muzzle climb, all while backing away from it. The Kalash 2012 is best-employed when its combination of speed and accuracy can be fully exploited - otherwise it tends to do little that other guns, available earlier can't do already. The Kalash 2012 is best used with a combination of firing and moving to allow flanking, as it's large magazine means you don't have to take cover as often to reload. A way to keep up on your ammo count is to only shoot automatic when it is necessary. It is advised to tap the trigger, or just press the fire button repeatedly instead of holding it down. Even with that in mind, however, the Kalash 2012 is a beast of a weapon, and its unique blend of speed, high magazine capacity, accuracy, and punch makes it stand out as arguably the best weapon of the game, even if not exploited to its fullest. It can even make good use of Military-Grade rounds, truly setting it apart from the other automatics. Just be careful with the amount of ammunition it can burn (and it's a lot), and it will serve you quite well in most situations. Do note that while it can use Military-Grade Ammo (and does so quite well), it tends to, as is the case of it firing dirty ammo, burn through it at lightning speed. Be careful. Also, the laser sight makes it very useful during the Ranger Hardcore game mode. Variants Related Achievements Trivia * Models in the files of Metro 2033 suggest that an unsuppressed scoped and an un-scoped silenced Kalash-2012 variants were originally to appear in the game, but were cut at some point in development. * Despite not having any openings for spent casing extraction (Or a charging handle for that matter) AK-2012 works just fine, with casings "ejecting" from the right part of the weapon, supposedly appearing from thin air. * The gun bears a direct resemblance to a hybridization of a Kalashnikov AK-74M and a Fabrique National P-90 sub-machine gun. * It is entirely fictitious, though an entirely plausible gun from an engineering standpoint. * Seeing as the weapon is called "Kalash", there is a possibility it was engineered by Mikhail Kalashikov in the Metro 2033 universe, seeing as he is still alive to this day. * During the good ending the scoped and supressed variant is seen on Artyom's back in place of the VSV. * If Artyom stands idle long enough with it equipped, he will take his right hand off the gun and crack his knuckles. * The Kalash 2012 has a magazine that allows the user to see how much ammunition is left in the currently loaded magazine, this is helpful for players who don't have the HUD's ammo counter displayed. * The Kalash 2012 is the favored weapon of the rangers and it is only seen in use by them, in game, it only can be used by Artyom and Miller. * In real life the AK-2012 or just AK-12 looks nothing like this assault rifle. Other Images AK2012_scoped_M2033.png|Cut variant of the Kalash-2012 with scope AK2012_silencer_M2033.png|Ditto, silenced Category:Weapons Category:Metro 2033